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Biography

A.J. leads the Bankruptcy and Restructuring Practice Group, a nationally focused practice that has been involved in nearly every large commercial bankruptcy in the country.

A.J. counsels companies facing varying degrees of financial uncertainty and distress, working to proactively identify and assess insolvency issues. He represents parties (secured/unsecured creditors, debtors, committees, purchasers, and borrowers) in all phases of bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, with an emphasis on selling or acquiring distressed assets and assisting parties in restructurings or out-of-court workouts.

Additionally, A.J. represents original equipment manufacturers and suppliers in automotive distress matters, including large supplier and automotive bankruptcies and out-of-court restructurings or customer exits. He also represents banking institutions on loan workouts and enforcement (both conventional and Small Business Administration enforcement), and clients on Uniform Commercial Code matters, with an emphasis on healthcare receivables.

Prior to joining FBT, A.J. was a financial sales associate for a major brokerage institution and later worked for a non-profit arts organization. His prior work experience provided him with a unique perspective on the myriad of financial issues affecting both for-profit and not-for-profit entities. He graduated second in his class from the University of Cincinnati College of Law where he authored numerous bankruptcy-related articles.

Other Info About A.J.

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

A.J. has represented clients throughout the country in debtor, committee, senior secured lender, distressed acquisition, automotive distressed supply, and retail/landlord engagements. Representative matters are below.

Debtor Engagements:
Hopedale Mining, LLC (Rhino Energy), JW Resources, Inc., and Cambrian Holding Company, Inc.

Committee Engagements:
Stein Mart, Inc., RGN-Group Holdings (Regus), Gordmans Stores, Inc., Cycle Force Group, LLC, Freedom Industries, Inc., and Goodrich Quality Theaters

DIP Lender/Senior Secured Lender Engagements:
Lectrus Corporation, Sebring Management FL, Glen-Alum Coal Company, and Murray Energy Holdings Co.

Automotive Distressed Supply Engagements:
GST AutoLeather, Dura Automotive, Pace Industries, and Gissing North America, plus numerous out-of-court engagements for OEMs and suppliers

Retail/Landlord Engagements:
Rite Aid, Bed Bath & Beyond, J.C. Penney, Sears, Bon-Ton, J. Crew, Pier 1, RadioShack, Pac-Sun, Aeropostale, Payless, and rue21

Education

Law School

University of Cincinnati College of Law, J.D., 2015, summa cum laude, Order of the Coif
University Prize – Second Highest G.P.A.
University of Cincinnati Law Review, Articles Editor and Associate Member

Undergraduate School

Marshall University, B.A., Political Science, summa cum laude
Outstanding Student in Political Science

Bar Memberships

A.J. is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Ohio, 2015

Courts

A.J. is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency Reorganization Law, 2021-2025

Distinguished Law Student, Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar

University Prize – Second Highest G.P.A., University of Cincinnati College of Law

Commercial Law Award for Highest Scholar in Contract, Commercial, and Bankruptcy Law, University of Cincinnati College of Law

Ernest Karam Prize, University of Cincinnati College of Law

Thompson Hine & Flory Prize, University of Cincinnati College of Law

Outstanding Student in Political Science, Marshall University

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

ABI Unsecured Trade Creditors Committee, Newsletter Editor (2023 – Present)

ABI Central States Bankruptcy Seminar, Advisory Board Member (2022 – Present)

ABI Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar, Advisory Board Member (2018 – 2022; 2024 – Present)

American Bankruptcy Institute

American Bar Association

Ohio State Bar Association

Cincinnati Bar Association

Firm Committees

A.J. serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Bankruptcy & Restructuring Practice Group Leader

Presentations

A.J. was invited to speak at the following events:

Drafting and Enforcing Assignments of Rent: Collateral vs. Absolute Assignments, Receiverships, Bankruptcy Issues, Strafford, February 27, 2024

Podcast Guest, “A Game Plan for Dealing with Distress,” Automotive Insiders, February 1, 2024

Commercial Landlord Bankruptcies: Landlord and Tenant Rights and Obligations; Considerations for Real Estate Counsel, Strafford, December 7, 2023

Panelist, “Avoidance Actions,” Central States Bankruptcy Workshop, June 10, 2023

Panelist, Commercial Leases in Economic Distress: Pre- and Post-Bankruptcy Strategies for Landlords, Strafford, April 7, 2022

Moderator, “Pushing the Envelope in Chapter 11 – How Far Can You Go?,” Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar, August 20, 2019

Major Publications

A.J. is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Pay Me Once, Pay Me Twice: Shapiro v. Henson’s Impact on a Debtor’s Fresh Start After Bankruptcy, 83 U. Cin. L. Rev. 625 (2014)

A New Take on an Old Foe: Percentage Fees in Unconfirmed Chapter 13 Bankruptcies, National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees Quarterly (Fall 2015)

Filing Time-Barred Claims in Bankruptcy Subjects Creditors to FDCPA Sanctions in the Eleventh Circuit (and Maybe the Seventh), U. Cin. L. Rev. (January 2015)

Protecting Attorneys and Jeopardizing Creditors: In re Thelen LLP and Rejection of the “Unfinished Business Rule”, U. Cin. L. Rev. (November 2014)

Don’t Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out: Smith v. Robbins (In re IFS Financial Corporation), U. Cin. L. Rev. (October 2014)

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